Focus Factors: Exploring Cross-Cultural Business Dynamics of Making Deals and Building Relationships in India

The world houses a grand spectrum of people and cultures constantly changing and renewing themselves. Some of these peoples are historic and rich with culture, while others are relatively new in history and evolving every day. These cultures are not self-reliant, nor are they self-communicating. Spread out across every continent, the various cultures and countries of the world are morphing and forming relationships at a rate faster than ever before. As technology continues to flourish, markets and economies continue to become intertwined as well. Cultures and business practices are often vastly different. A serious effort from global business leadership needs to be placed on learning about culture as business deals are formed and negotiated. India is an Asian country containing both a rich history, as well as an extremely significant presence in the current global economy. By presenting a general overview of India, a progressive look at more focused concepts can then be explored. Concepts, such a global cross-cultural leadership, can be looked into as well as how cultures compare and contrast to the business behaviors within India. Furthermore, a broad overview of Geert Hofstede’s research on India is explored for reflection and application. One of the more important focus factors that will be displayed is how negotiation plays into inter-cultural business dealing with India. By focusing on cross-cultural leadership and behavioral dynamics of Indian culture, a greater chance of success in relationship-building and business partnership opportunities can be solidified.